Its obvious that fellow bloggers read each other's postings, raising questions and making comments. It isn't all that obvious however that elected officials and their colleagues read our postings as we seldom hear from those representing us.
Their sustained silence could be considered to be the ultimate in arrogance.
Actual participation with citizens in any form of discussion by most officials is to be avoided. It might interrupt their train of thought.
The pattern is there. They avoid real discussion during the election process and after attaining office. Anything resembling debate might indicate that one citizen is as knowledgable and perhaps as wise as the other.
Perhaps our elected representatives should learn that when we elect them, we do not give them irresponsible royal positions nor unaccountable authority. Do elected officials need to be reminded that elected office does not mean that they are to lord it over us?
Representative government means that officials must represent the views of their constituents. How do they represent these views if they do not fully discuss them with us and agree to do whatever they can to carry out the desires of the citizens?
Or do we elect officials because of their views, usually undisclosed, especially at so-called forums?
If this is the only place to learn of their stance on issues, then they must make their views quite clearly known to the citizens as extensively and as transparently as possible and not a few words on a circular.
It seems, however that we have turned representative government on its head and that we award authority instead of selecting people to represent us.
At the local level, especially here in Shorewood where little if any of our government activity is reported in the written media, then we must turn to what has now been termed as the blogosphere.
And perhaps it is here where we begin to approach real democracy, where people can comment and are encouraged to respond to views of other citizens, the bloggers.
